Clear mat for layered borderless frames and methods of making

Abstract

A clear mat is formed from a transparent or translucent machinable material and has an opening dimensioned to receive an article. The clear mat is sized to precisely match the width and height of a borderless frame. The borderless frame has a front panel and a back panel and is also made of a transparent or translucent machinable material. The opening of the clear mat has a thickness ranging from about 1/16 to about two inches. The clear mat is sandwiched between the front and back panels of the borderless frame with the article held in the opening without having to touch the front panel. The clear mat can prevent dust or foreign elements to come in contact with the article. The borderless frame with the clear mat can be mounted on a wall using mounting hardware through aligned holes in the clear mat and the front and back panels.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A clear mat, comprising:
 a body formed from a transparent or translucent machinable material, the body having an interior opening, four edges, and corner holes, the four edges machined to precisely match edges of a front panel and a back panel of a borderless frame, the borderless frame made of the transparent or translucent machinable material, the corner holes sized to receive mounting hardware therethrough and positioned in alignment with corner holes in the front panel and the back panel of the borderless frame, the interior opening having a width, a height, and a depth to accommodate an article such that, when placed in the interior opening of the clear mat between the front panel and the pack panel of the borderless frame, the article is substantially free from contacting the front panel of the borderless frame.   
     
     
         2 . The clear mat of  claim 1 , wherein the depth of the interior opening is in a range of about 1/16 of an inch to about two inches. 
     
     
         3 . The clear mat of  claim 1 , wherein the transparent or translucent machinable material comprises glass, clear acrylic, clear plastic, polymethyl methacrylate, or thermoplastic. 
     
     
         4 . The clear mat of  claim 1 , wherein the interior opening has a boxy shape, a circular shape, or a free form. 
     
     
         5 . The clear mat of  claim 1 , wherein the article is thicker than a flat sheet of paper or film. 
     
     
         6 . The clear mat of  claim 1 , wherein the article is a record album, a compact disc, textile, a book, a rug, a comic book, a photograph, a piece of art, a calendar, or a puzzle. 
     
     
         7 . The clear mat of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of holes positioned along the four edges.   
     
     
         8 . A borderless frame, comprising:
 a front panel having four edges and corner holes;   a back panel having four edges and corner holes; and   a clear mat having an interior opening, four edges, and corner holes;   wherein the front panel, the back panel, and the clear mat are formed from a transparent or translucent machinable material;   wherein the four edges of the clear mat are machined to precisely match the four edges of the front panel and of the back panel;   wherein the corner holes of the clear mat are sized to receive mounting hardware therethrough and positioned in alignment with the corner holes in the front panel and the back panel; and   wherein the interior opening of the clear mat has a width, a height, and a depth to accommodate an article such that, when placed in the interior opening of the clear mat between the front panel and the pack panel, the article is substantially free from contacting the front panel.   
     
     
         9 . The borderless frame of  claim 8 , wherein the depth of the interior opening of the clear mat is in a range of about 1/16 of an inch to about two inches. 
     
     
         10 . The borderless frame of  claim 8 , wherein the transparent or translucent machinable material comprises glass, clear acrylic, clear plastic, polymethyl methacrylate, or thermoplastic. 
     
     
         11 . The borderless frame of  claim 8 , wherein the interior opening has a boxy shape, a circular shape, or a free form. 
     
     
         12 . The borderless frame of  claim 8 , wherein the article is thicker than a flat sheet of paper or film. 
     
     
         13 . The borderless frame of  claim 8 , wherein the article is a record album, a compact disc, textile, a book, a rug, a comic book, a photograph, a piece of art, a calendar, or a puzzle. 
     
     
         14 . The borderless frame of  claim 8 , wherein each of the clear mat, the front panel, and the back panel further comprises:
 a plurality of holes positioned along the four edges.   
     
     
         15 . A method of making the clear mat of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 determining a size of the borderless frame;   determining dimensions of the article;   determining a size of the mounting hardware;   programming a precision cutting machine with a plurality of input parameters, the plurality of input parameters including a first input parameter for the four edges based on the size of the borderless frame, a second input parameter for the interior opening based on the dimensions of the article, and a third input parameter for the corner holes based on the size of mounting hardware; and   operating the precision cutting machine on the transparent or translucent machinable material to form the clear mat of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 creating a project with the plurality of input parameters, wherein the operating further comprises executing the project.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the precision cutting machine is a laser cutter or a computer numerical control router. 
     
     
         18 . A method of using the clear mat of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 securing two corners of the back panel, the clear mat, and the front panel together using a first pair of the mounting hardware through two of the corner holes, leaving one side of the borderless frame open for access;   placing the article in the interior opening of the clear mat between the front panel and the back panel; and   securing remaining two corners of the back panel, the clear mat, and the front panel together using a second pair of the mounting hardware through remaining two of the corner holes.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 removing the second pair of the mounting hardware from the borderless frame;   lifting the front panel; and   retrieving the article from the interior opening of the clear mat.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 placing the article back to the interior opening of the clear mat; and   reinstalling the second pair of the mounting hardware to secure the article in the interior opening of the clear mat between the front panel and the back panel of the borderless frame.